To create a filter

Click the down arrow in your search box. A window that allows you to specify your search criteria will appear.

Enter your search criteria. If you want to check that your search worked correctly, click the search button.

Click Create filter with this search at the bottom of the search window. If you need to verify the search results, you can click the x to collapse the filter options. Clicking the down arrow again will bring the window back with the same search criteria you entered.

Choose the action(s) you want the filter to take.

To keep organized, many people like to have incoming messages automatically labeled and removed from their inbox until they can look at them later at a more convenient time. If you want to do this, make sure to select Skip the Inbox (Archive it) and Apply the label: when you create your filter.

Click the Create filter button.

Please note: When you create a filter to forward messages, only new messages will be affected. Any existing messages that the filter applies to will not be forwarded.

To export a filter, check the box next to the filter, and click the Export button at the bottom of the page. This will give you a .xml file, which you can edit in a text editor if you'd like.

To import a filter, click the Import filters link at the bottom of the page. Choose the file with the filter you'd like to import and click the Open file button. Click the Create filters to finish importing the filter.